OCEANA, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Steven Eric Blankenship, 36, of Oceana, WV, pled guilty to Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Proximately Causing Death and Driving Revoked for DUI. On April 18th, 2023, the Court sentenced Blankenship to three to fifteen years in prison.
On May 7, 2021, Blankenship was traveling on WV Route 54 in Wyoming County when he failed to negotiate a curve and crossed the center line, upon which he struck a vehicle head-on resulting in the death of a female passenger in Blankenship’s vehicle. A male passenger was injured. Blankenship failed a subsequent field sobriety test and later tested positive for THC, opiates, and amphetamine. Blankenship’s driver’s license was revoked for a previous DUI.
Gregory Bishop is the Wyoming County Prosecutor and former West Virginia State Trooper. “These tragedies are entirely preventable by simply choosing not to drive impaired,” said Bishop, “it is inexcusable to risk the lives of those around you by choosing to engage in such selfish behavior. Law enforcement is on the lookout for impaired drivers, and my office will prosecute those who fail to act responsibly.”
Derek Laxton, Wyoming County Assistant Prosecutor, served as lead prosecutor in the case.
Captain Blankenship and Lieutenant Johnson, Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department, investigated the crime.
Bishop wished to thank the hard and thorough work of Derek Laxton and the entire prosecutor staff, along with the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department. “The good citizens of Wyoming County are fortunate to have police officers throughout the county who are proactive in enforcing our DUI laws,” said Bishop, “our sincere hope is that through proactive policing, just prosecution, and stiff sentencing, we might deter would-be impaired drivers and put an end to such senseless tragedies.”
